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Nurses Exploring the Spirituality of Their Patients With Cancer: Participant Observation on a Medical Oncology Ward.
- Source :
-
Cancer nursing [Cancer Nurs] 2018 Jul/Aug; Vol. 41 (4), pp. E39-E45. - Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Background: Attention for spirituality should be an integral part of professionals' caregiving. Particularly, nurses caring for patients with cancer might have opportunities to give attention to this dimension.<br />Objective: The aim of this study was to gain insight in the way and extent to which nurses during daily caregiving observe and explore spiritual issues of hospitalized patients with cancer.<br />Methods: We performed an ethnographic study with participant observation. Data were collected in 2015 during 4 shifts at the medical oncology department of a university hospital. The researcher, a spiritual care provider (chaplain) wearing the same kind of uniform as the nurses, observed the nurses, participated in their actions, and interviewed them after the shift.<br />Results: Although the patients did send many implicit and explicit messages concerning spiritual issues, the nurses did not explore them. If noticed, 3 barriers for exploring spiritual issues were mentioned by the nurses: lack of time, conflict with their mindset, and being reserved to talk about such issues.<br />Conclusions: During their daily caregiving to patients with a life-threatening illness, nurses have many opportunities to explore spiritual issues, but they do not often recognize them. If they do, they tend not to explore the spiritual issues.<br />Implications for Practice: Communication training for nurses is necessary to develop skills for exploring the spiritual dimension in patients with cancer. In such training, attention to the misconception that such a conversation requires a lot of time and for recognizing signals from patients inviting an exploration of their concerns is necessary.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1538-9804
- Volume :
- 41
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Cancer nursing
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 28727577
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0000000000000526